Golden Bamboo Lemur

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Golden Bamboo Lemur[1]

Conservation status
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Primates
Family: Lemuridae
Genus: Hapalemur
Species: H. aureus
Binomial name
Hapalemur aureus
(Meier, Albignac, Peyriéras, Rumpler & Wright, 1987)

The Golden Bamboo Lemur or Golden Lemur (Hapalemur aureus) is a medium sized bamboo lemur endemic to southeastern Madagascar. It is listed as a critically endangered species due to habitat loss. The population is declining with only about 1000 individuals. As its name indicates this lemur feeds almost exclusively on grasses especially the Giant bamboo or Volohosy (Cathariostachys madagascariensis). The golden bamboo lemur consumes enough cyanide daily to kill a human, but the lemurs' detoxification mechanism is still unknown.

The Golden Bamboo Lemur is crepuscular. It is 37-39.5 cm long plus a tail of 37-41 cm and weighs between 1 and 1.5 kg.

Females gives birth to one infant per year and breed every year. The gestation period is about 138 days.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Groves, Colin (16 November 2005). in Wilson, D. E., and Reeder, D. M. (eds): Mammal Species of the World, 3rd edition, Johns Hopkins University Press, 116. ISBN 0-801-88221-4. 
  2. ^ Ganzhorn et al (2000). Hapalemur aureus. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 11 May 2006. Listed as Critically Endangered (CR A2cd v2.3)

[edit] External links

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